The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-29
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
Addresses of Rev. C. E. Nash and Rev. DR.
SAWYER,


Sawyer.
In the evening at o'clock General
Meeting was held and large congrega-
ton, filling the large auditorium assem-
bled and addresses delivered by Rev. G.
Ellwood Nash, of Ohio. Subject young
Peoples Missionary Associations" and
Rev. Dr. t. J. Sawyer on Education"
We present both addresses in full;
special report taken for THE UNIvEReA-
LIST.
YOUNG PEOPLES MISSIONARY ASSOCIA-
TIONS.
The circumstances under which | stand
forth to speak on the topic assigned are them
selves evidence of the Importance it carries
in the mind of the Trustees who prepared the
program.
The subject of Education is universally adj
mtted among us to be one of the highest
merit and paramount claim. That a PROPOSE
tion so recent as that which relates to the for
nation of Young Peoples Missionary Asso-
tions should be thought fit to divide the time
of this Convention with that other theme
shows that it was thought fit to be presen ed
at length and with emphasis. The fact of the
| Universalists assembled in this Convention to
listen to discourse on the SUBJECTS evidence
of the Importance with which it has come to
| be regarded I can only regret that he theme
has no better spokesman than [ shall prove to
be. In a feeble way | stand here fully COM
mitted to the possibility and desirability of
the project. am even in mild way an en-
thusiast upon the subject but hope that that
concerning it.
Young People Missionary Associations are
not, at this present speaking, altogether a
matter of thee ry. They have been subject
to the test Of practical result ana movement.
And he results which can be reported after a
brief existence and under discouraging cir
cumstances, as in the documents presented
by the Board of Trustees for our considera-
tiOn this afternoon, as having raised upward
of $4,000 for general missionary purposes,
shows that the theory stands already TO some
| extent proved, and the query may well be
raised, ''If so much from so little, how much
,.from waat ought to. be2,, -Itis- no part Of In Y
object to discuss the practical results already
accrued. I wish to speak of the theory; a
theory l do not remember to have seen ex-
pounded anywhere, but which appears upon
the surface Of the proposition itself.
Confinng myself then 20 practical discus.
sion upon a practical theme, have nothing
to offer in the way of oratOry but something
in the way of suggestion as TO means of at
tanning my theory pregnant with large pos
sibilities for the future of our Church. My
own estimate of this Convention is that il
ought 10 be gathered for the purpose of dis
cussing the future. 1t should set its face
resOutely toward the possibilities and oppor-
tunities that await us, and rs little as may be
dwell upon what we may have been doing;
forgetting things behind, reaching forward to
the things before, let us press to the mark of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Why then have our Board of Trustees sug-
gusted the formation of Young Peoples Mis-
sionary Association. At first let me freely
say that the object is a general rather than
specific one. 1t is not, if l understand them.
a proposition to add a new wheel in the ma
chinery of our Church, but to provide for the
foundation of the future itself. II is not to
work along another line merely but to look
after the great question Of Universaism in
the next generation. Why is it proposed that
the young people should receive such special
attention? The answer is obvious 1t is a
recognition of the broad and primary fact
that youth is the formative period of lite
That the impressions received then perpetuate
themselves and become the seed of other i'm
pressions like them. Give me, the Roman
church is reported 10 be in the habit of say
ing Give me the youth until twelve years of
age, afterward you may My them with tempta-
tiOn and inducements, | shall retain the most
of them II has been recently noted that
the Mohammedan people of Egypt are already
cultivating the policy looking oward the in
crease of their religion among the people by
taking the youth, whether the son of a Mus
seman or lsraelite, engaged in the effort to
control in the interest of their religion the
young people. The fact is familiar that char
acter Is mostly formed in youth. Familiar
facts indeed scarcely comma, d The slightest
recognition. Mankind seems ever in search
for novelty, something strange, some excite
ment. Something mysterious always com
mands the energy of mankind. This fact met
with the earliest recognition AS the twig
is bent the tree is inclined" Does not Sol
omon say 1000 years ago. Train up a child in
the wy he should go, aud wnen he is old ne
Will not depart from It," Yet it remained for
the present century, or It's immediate prede-
cessor i'm the person Of Robert Rukcs. to sur-
gest the hrst definite plan of dealing with
eaching the subject OF religion with young
q
thar heset their mature lives and endeavoring
during their young and plastic condition TO
mold them into the conditions of pi,ty. 10 is
a most astonishing fact that so long after Sol
omon taught that uuquesJiousbe truth that
youth Is the season for instruction, that The
Christian Church has just wakea mp 10 "A por-
ton OF ITS responsibility in that direction. 1t
has only partly walked up now. Tue Board of
Trustees look to our further awakening along
the same line. Youth is the formative period.
When men grow older they get harder, they
get into ruts. Take this familiar fact, which
is asserted TO be valid among those who have
their eye upon statistics. Ia other Churches,
who work by reyivaIs, the great majority OF
conversions are said % oceur under twenty
years of age. man is stiIl young al. Thirty.
More than thrtequurters of the conversions
occur under the age of thirty. II touches
upon the musr commonplace fact. Young
men nHud young women are still immaturetheir
habits are uniformed, they are cssI led. That
why would rmpha>'z the importance of re-
lgious teaching tuthe youth before be- has ma
lur'd, and while he is stil. Uniformed and easily
nodded, when his nature will respond ana
freely yibrate to the touch. We should avail
ourselves of this principle. The enthusiasm
and Elasticity OF youth are our opportunity,